The Portland daily press., 1887-10-27

ana SelI-SdcllIcc.
2. The Southern brother has a stl deeper in
terest IN the matter In the first place he owes
something TO the black brother, who always help
ed aud never bindered him, who titled his land
and uIade his wealth, who, during tn war, cared
for the plantation and protected the family
though he knew that the master fought to rivet
his fetters all the tighter. Then again the South
ern brother has and must have the black brother
with him, near him, his immediate neighbor and
whatever disc0mfoTts or dangers may arise, he
must be the first aud for time, the only one TO
suffer. He cannot remand the negro back to
slavery, nor even TO serfdom-the nineteenth cen
fury cannot tolerate the one more than the other
even In Russia, much less in America. Nor can
the present anomalous position OF the negro long
be maintained II Is full Of yexations aud Of dan
gers the negro will soon be strong enough to re-
sist 1t, and the North as In the contest about
slavery, must take sides with the black man.
Why should the South fight against the ineyita-
BILE? In recent number Of the Century, a Con-
federate officer Coz Alexander in giving a racy
sketch of Picketts famous charge at Gettysburg,
incidentally refers. in a humorous way to one of
their chaplains who was accustomed to pray that
Providence would consent at last to come down
and take Il proper view of the situation" The
Colonel, at one auspicious juncture in the prem-
mary fight was inclined to believe that the prayer
Of the good chaplain was about TO be answered.
But when all was over and the battle was lost, he
dryly admits that providence had evidently not
vat taken proper view OF ths situation" The
same admission was equally pertinent at Apo
mattox-and has been ever since-ndeed, is il not
time for the South TO see that the trouble is not
with Providence but with itself-that It should
consent at last TO take proper view Of the situ-
atom? Providence did not take its view during
The war to sustain slavery and will net in the
struggle to maintain caste, which Is now the great
is pushing TO the front with new energy. For
ample, the great churches, Methodist aud Presby-
terrain. that had been rent asunder by the anti
slavery agitation before the war, had seemed for a
time since TO be happily coming together once
more, but recently that fair prospect has become
darkened, and mainly by the strong exactions In
regard TO caste separation demanded by the
South. Then a. to schools, the South has always
been understood to be opposed to The co education
Il a auno matt tfnr in
OF the states are almost amusngly violent. We
stohd Northern people are tempted to smile at
me fear that the white young gentlemen and
ladies' OF the South are so eager to marry negroes
that they dare not be trusted In the same school
together, and that such stringent measures as
fines, Imprisonment and the chan-gang are deem
ed necessary TO prevent i'll But we are glad to
find that these severe measures W re planned by
ovef-zeaious young politicians. aud that the sober
second thought Oi the people" has substituted less
barbarous methods. and that other Southern
States do not follow the bad example.
But more seriously, the South has never en-
forced laws against the criminal mingling of the
races that has almost bleaehed the negroes white
Is lawful marriage more criminal than concubin-
10 take place? Not the North, certainly. The
Southern whites ought to be able to resist the
temptation. Every step IN the advancement of
the blacks cOntradicts the charge that they de-
sire II. MOI the charge is fictitious, and Is only
paraded to give force to the plea for caste dis
tnctlon and exclusion. which Is the main
hlndrance 10 the incoEaing Of the brotherhood of
man.
But tne SOutnefner pleads strongly against rec
ognizing the political equality Of The races. He
says, The negro is not my equal in intelligence
property or character. Why should he cast bal
lot he cannot read, fleet men to make laws which
they themselves cannot read, to impose taxes of
which he pays almost nothing, and to squander
the money for the benefit of demagogues? A most
estlmable Chrittian gentleman from South Carroll
ma said to me not long since: 'On one point the
people Of our State are agreed: We will not
and we will not permit il to be repeated" To ali
this the ready answer is: twas one thing for ig-
norant degraded and INSCRIPTIONS negroes at
That time TO rule-nay, may say, ruin-the State,
and another very different thing, to permit ne
groes that are educated, possessed Of property
and OF established chai actor to take their proper
share in the administration of the affairs Of The
State and this brings me 10 my final point.
3: II is the duty Of the hour and of all con-
knowledge, property and character In the Rev
olutionary struggle, the two white brothers stood
sad conflict they fought against each other to the
bitter end II is time thai the cnmity OF the last
struggle should be laid aside and the amlty Of the
first should be initiated. Let the two white broth
ers unite in directing the general government to
make ample provisions on terms satisfactory to
both to promote popular education in the South;
let the State governments In the South vote
means 10 second the effort. Let the North as in
dyiduals and churches, multiply greatly its gen.
erous onerlngs and increase the number Of its
work, and let the South respond in its measure
IN personal contributions and Iabsrs, ana espec-
laly let us people welcome the Northern teach
ers, not with suspicion and ossracism, but with
cooperation aud the respect due to their Christian
characters. Let the large religious denomina-
negro. On what nober or more Christian plat
form could they stand? Let them come 10 him
not as priest and the Leyite, but as the SamaIi-
tan; and let the black brothers show more alacri-
lty than ever in responding TO these efforts in his
behalf. When all this is done, there will be real
lied the great mission Of these three brothers in
America-thc founding OF a great empire, the es-
tabllshing OF civil and religious liberty, the grant
ing of personal freedom to ALL and last and great
est OF ALL the browning glory Illustrating IN
brotherhood of mani
The congregation sung a hymn, after
which Rev. James Powell, d. d., read the
following paper on 1.-THE Need Of Intcll-
gence IN Benevolence:"
S cretary PoweIps Paper.
What should be done to increase the number of
port of the American Missionary Association
Among the reasons for raising this question are
the following.
1. large number of the churches give US no
contribution. Last year only 1898, out of 4277
total, contributed to our treasury The State as
sociations every year, and the National Council
every three years, recommend the association to
the churches for their support Sixty-one per
cent of those churches reply; 1--WE do not accept
your advice" A high estimate they must put up
tivesl Yet resolutions of commentator are ne
cessary. The cause that cannot obtain them is
doomed. bHt. though necessary, they are not
Those who say not and do are more to be com
m me than those who say and do not. As the
old negro preacher puts 1t: ut is not so much de
peression Of ligion dat is gwne to save US as it is
de 'casional practice Of It." The resolutions of
National Councils and State Associations need to
be translated into the benevolent activities OF all
the churches. Otherwise they are dead letters.
IL. Only q small proportion OF those who con-
Some give from impulse. When the impulse dies
the contribution dies with it. Some give only
when reused by special appeal II no appeal is
cause the Contribution box is passed-they are
ashamed net to go through the motions of putting
ashamed TO have the congregation know Just what
they put In, Look at the contents Of the average
contribution box as it returns from its excursion
number OF pennies, and nickels, and quarters
lgiven probably by as many Individuals in GEM
parlssn with the gifts of larger denomination 1t
Is often the ease, even in large congregations
that one, two, three or four eontributors-and
they not always the most able to giye-contribute
more than all the rest put together 1t is not for
gotten that many of the small gifts are the wild
ows mltes-the offerings of the poor, that in the
NeVertheless, 1t remains true, very large proper
ton OF those who put money into the cOntribu-
tlon box as 1t is passed, de not know anything
who, il not in church when the contribution is
taken, give nothing. Woe to the-causc whose an
n9al c,o D comes on rainy Sunday.
ana INDIVIDUALS represents sadly low average for
the total church membership. The receipts last
year from churches and individuals, exclusive Of
legacieS, were e1S9. 48S.39. Divided among the
church membership OF the country it represents
an average contribution Of only A cents per MEM
Der; and II the contributions Of those who give
annually all the way frsm 81 up to $1,000 were
subtracted the average would fall from 30 to rs
per cent below this. Surely the spirit of Christian
penevoence abroad in the churches Is not what it
ought to be. Did Christians give as they pray
their benevolence would reach higher mark
They are apt to be more honest in the expression
o. their views OF duty at the throne of grace than
lney are through the expression OF their conduct
q that little boy who one day said to his father:
Papa, wish had your money" What would
you do with it, my SOM" "one thing would do
i would answer your prayers" The pride OF
consistency. as We remember the confessed doc
trines OF the churches, should make us all in
tensey dissatisfied with this record of unfathful-
ness on the part OF SO many church members.
pace with the growth OF tho churches in member
ship and wealth. The total wealth of the United
States, as officially reported for the year $40,
was 3O,O68 ,51S, SOY. In 1880 il was s4S 642,-
100000. Since 1880 the gain has been, in all
probability even in larger ratio; and In this gain
the Congregational churches have had undoubted-
ly their full share. Ten years ago the member
was 436,379. Ten years ago the church contri-
buttons and individual donations TO our treasury
exclusive OF legacies, were t1S6, 166.62. Last
year, from the same sources, they were S1S9, 49,
30. Ihat is TO say: During the past ten years
Inc churches have increased in wealth per cent
ana over; In membership, per cent and over
but in their contributions they have Increased on
pace with the increase in church membership our
receipts last year would have been e32 O6k ri